Method for graphical display and manipulation of program parameters on a clinical programmer for implanted devices and clinical programmer apparatus

Abstract

Accepts inputs via an input device and displays resulting power consumption for example in a color-coded format that enables a doctor or other programmer to observe how changes in one programming parameter affects power consumption. This enables the apparatus to accept input values and display the resulting power consumption that would occur if the input values were programmed into an implantable device in an intuitive graphical manner. In one or more embodiments programming parameters associated with power consumption may be set for electrical stimulation pulses, namely the voltage amplitude, the frequency of pulses per unit time and the pulse width of the pulses in units of time.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A clinical programmer comprising:
 a computer; 
 a display coupled with said computer; 
 an input device coupled with said computer; 
 said computer configured to
 accept a plurality of programming parameter values via said input device;
 wherein said plurality of programming parameter values include at least voltage amplitude and frequency
 or 
 
 pulse width and frequency; 
 
 
 present said plurality of programming parameter values on said display on respective axes of a graph; 
 calculate a power consumption based on said plurality of programming parameter values accepted from said input device; 
 draw a first color between said plurality of programming parameter values if said power consumption value is below a first threshold and draw a second color between said plurality of programming parameter values if said power consumption value is above or equal to said first threshold; and, 
 wherein said plurality of programming parameters values are configured to be changed on a respective axis associated with each programming parameter of said plurality of programming parameter values using said input device, such that said computer is further configured to automatically calculate new programming parameter values to achieve a desired energy consumption from said changed programming parameter values. 
 
     
     
       2. The clinical programmer of  claim 1  wherein said computer is further configured to draw a third color between said plurality of programming parameter values if said power consumption value above or equal to a second threshold. 
     
     
       3. The clinical programmer of  claim 1  wherein said graph comprises at least one other axis that is calculated based on said plurality of programming parameter values. 
     
     
       4. The clinical programmer of  claim 1  wherein said computer is further configured to
 accept a desired power consumption level via said input device; and, 
 set at least one of said plurality programming parameter values so that said plurality of programming values correspond to said desired power consumption level. 
 
     
     
       5. The clinical programmer of  claim 1  wherein said graph comprises at least one tolerance level displayed on at least one axis of said graph. 
     
     
       6. The clinical programmer of  claim 1  wherein said input device is a touch screen coupled with said display. 
     
     
       7. The clinical programmer of  claim 1  wherein said input device is mouse. 
     
     
       8. The clinical programmer of  claim 1  wherein said input device is keyboard. 
     
     
       9. A method for graphical display and manipulation of program parameters on a clinical programmer comprising:
 accepting a plurality of programming parameter values via an input device coupled with a computer;
 wherein said accepting said plurality of programming parameter values include
 at least 
 accepting voltage amplitude and frequency
 or 
 
 accepting pulse width and frequency; 
 
 
 presenting said plurality of programming parameter values on respective axes of a graph on a display coupled with said computer; 
 calculating a power consumption based on said plurality of programming parameter values accepted from said input device; 
 drawing a first color between said plurality of programming parameter values if said power consumption value is below a first threshold and drawing a second color between said plurality of programming parameter values if said power consumption value is above or equal to said first threshold; and 
 changing said plurality of programming parameters values on a respective axis associated with each programming parameter of said plurality of programming parameter values using said input device, and automatically calculating new programming parameter values to achieve a desired energy consumption from said changed programming parameter values using said computer. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  further comprising drawing a third color between said plurality of programming parameter values if said power consumption value above or equal to a second threshold. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9  wherein said graph comprises at least one other axis that is calculated based on said plurality of programming parameter values. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9  wherein said computer is further configured to
 accepting a desired power consumption level via said input device; and, 
 setting at least one of said plurality programming parameter values so that said plurality of programming values correspond to said desired power consumption level. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9  further comprising displaying at least one tolerance level on at least one axis of said graph. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9  wherein said accepting comprises accepting via an input device comprising a touch screen coupled with said display. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 9  wherein said accepting comprises accepting via an input device comprising a mouse. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 9  wherein said accepting comprises accepting via an input device comprising a keyboard.